When the output current of a prior art low dropout (LDO), PMOS voltage regulator, as shown in FIG. 1, is changed rapidly, large transient output voltages can be induced at the regulator output. Usually the regulator can compensate for these transients and the output voltage can quickly recover before the transient voltages create problems in the system. However, in the case when a very large current load (hundreds of milliamps to several amps) is rapidly removed from a regulator, the output voltage can rise to dangerously high levels and remain high for a long period of time before returning to regulation. This high output voltage condition results when the output load current changes more rapidly than the amplifier can respond. For the period of time between the removal of the output current load and the appropriate response of the amplifier (the response time), the output voltage loses regulation. The gate of the output PMOS is still being held at a voltage level that can supply large currents to the load, but the load has been removed. The current that was previously going to the load begins charging the external load capacitor, C.sub.L, during the response time which forces the output voltage to rise. Once the amplifier has correctly responded to the change in the load current the output voltage of the amplifier is high enough to cut-off the output PMOS. With the output PMOS cut-off and the load current removed, the only current path available to discharge the high output voltage on C.sub.L is through the feedback resistors, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2. These resistors are usually high-valued resistors (to minimize the quiescent current of the regulator), and are only able to sink a few microamps of current. With only the resistor current available to discharge the load capacitor it can take hundreds of milliseconds for the regulator to return to regulation. The recovery time of the regulator can be improved by decreasing the size of the feedback resistors. However, to be effective, this solution requires decreasing the resistor values to the point where the quiescent current of the regulator becomes excessive.